Sebenza records 'best year ever'

PE and East London gear up for automotive industry growth ED RICHARDSON SEBENZA FORWARDING and Shipping Agency – the first BEE freight forwarder in South Africa – is continuing to grow after a decade in the business. “In fact, 2006 was our best year ever,” says group operations director Francois van Wyk. With offices in Durban, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and East London, the company has developed into a full service logistics provider, with its own warehouses and fleet. “Our success lies with the highly skilled national operations team, supported by the EMO Trans Group in the USA and Europe and our focus on quality service to specific industries,” says Van Wyk. “We are a major player in the telecommunications industry and already specialise in the movement of dangerous goods as well as the warehousing and distribution of high value cargo. Our Pretoria branch heads our exhibitions department." The Port Elizabeth and East London operations are among the fastest-growing in the Sebenza group, says Eastern Cape branch manager Rialgo Barnard. The Port Elizabeth office, which was opened in July 2005, has expanded into new premises with 1000m2 of warehouse space and 300m2 of offices. “We are growing because we offer a turnkey service. A client phones only one company for the full logistics service,” he says. The East London office was opened a month ahead of schedule in January this year. “We had planned to open in February, but when certain companies found out who was joining our East London team, they insisted that we open earlier,” he says. Staff in the East London office has more than doubled in the first five months of operation. “There is a symbiotic relationship between East London and Port Elizabeth. The two offices support each other. “East London is also important to Sebenza because of our history. Many of our shareholders are from the city and surrounds. As a result, East London has huge potential for us,” he says. The Port Elizabeth office is also well positioned for the port of Ngqura, which is due to start handling breakbulk in 2008 and containers in 2009, according to public enterprises minister Alec Erwin. “Port Elizabeth will then become an important hub for Europe and the East, feeding Gauteng and the rest of the region,” he says. Both the Port Elizabeth and East London operations are also gearing up for the local automotive industry. “We have not focused on the industry up to now because we have not been in a position to meet its full needs. With the opening of the East London office and the move to our new premises in Port Elizabeth, we will be better positioned,” he says.